This invention relates generally to medical devices and methods of using the same, and more particularly, to an endovascular prosthesis delivery device and methods for placement and deployment of the prosthesis in the lumen of a vessel.
Endovascular prostheses, such as a stent, stent-graft, vena cava filter or occlusion device, may be inserted into an anatomical vessel or duct for various purposes. For example, a stent graft may be delivered intraluminally from the femoral artery for treatment of vasculature in the human or animal body to bypass a repair or defect in the vasculature or to maintain or restore patency in a formerly blocked or constricted passageway. The stent graft may extend proximally and/or distally away from a vascular defect, including a diseased portion of an aneurysm, and engage a healthy portion of a vessel wall.
In many cases, the damaged or defective portion of the vasculature may include a branched or side vessel such as a common iliac artery and/or an internal iliac artery and external iliac artery extending from the common iliac artery. Commonly, to repair a defect in these branched vessels, a stent graft is provided which, when deployed in the common iliac artery, has a side arm or fenestration positioned towards the opening to the internal iliac artery. If desired, an extension stent graft can be deployed through the side arm or fenestration into the internal iliac artery to bypass a diseased portion thereof and restore the blood flow path to the internal iliac artery.
The stent graft to be implanted may be coupled to a delivery device in a compressed state and then released from the delivery device so as to expand within the vessel. The delivery device may then be withdrawn, leaving the stent graft in position within the vessel. Oftentimes, the steps to carry out the deployment of the stent graft may occur in a pre-determined deployment sequence. For example, the delivery device may first be positioned within the vessel, then the sheath retracted to allow the stent graft to at least partially expand. Further steps may then be performed, for example, that facilitate release of one or both ends of the stent graft, to deploy an anchoring stent, and the like. In most cases, it is desirable that such deployment steps follow a specific order as instructed by the manufacturer of the device. The delivery device described herein comprises a handle assembly that permits controlled and sequential release and deployment of a stent graft from the delivery device.
While this invention will be generally discussed in relation to a delivery device for a stent graft and method of deployment thereof into a common iliac artery and/or into an internal iliac artery, it is also contemplated that the invention is not so limited and may relate to any body or vessel lumen in which such a deployment is necessary or desired.